Automatic skid placer



March 18 1924.

.C. D. @LAND ET AL AUTOMATI C S KID PLACER March 1s 1924. 1,487,467

C. D. OLAND ET AL v AUTOMATIC SKID PLACER Filed May 28. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1% I A' f AIl Patented Mar. 18, 1922i.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

- AUTOMATIC SKID PLACER.

Application sied may as, 1923. serial No. 642,005.

To all/whom t may concern.'

Be it know'n that we, CHARLES D. @LAND and GEORGE MArN, citizens of the United States, residing at Centralia, in the county of Marion, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .in Automatic Skid Placers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a fulhclear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in railway appliances, and particularly to devices for checking the flight of railway cars which are moving from the hump, and which is described in a prior Patent #1,375,063, granted to C. D. Oland April 19, 1921. i

In this prior patent the skids, which check the moving cars, are placed on the rails, by hand, as is the common practicein switch-yards of railway systems. rlfhe particular object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism by means of which these skids may be placed on the rails automatically.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which is arranged to be set in operation by the rider of the car, so that the speed of his car may be checked as it approaches the cars of a train which is being made up.

Another object is to provide a mechanism which is automatically operated, for placing a pair of skids on the rails, and 'then withdrawing into ka. rposition to receive skids, for a subsequent operation.

The skid placing mechanism is adapted to be operated from a tower, but the means for accomplishing this is not shown in the present case, but only a means, operable by the rider of the car, for actuating the mechanism, should he discover that' the towerman has not placed the skids.

parent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: y

Figure 1 is an elevation of the skid placers, in inoperative position, with the skids therein, and with the railway rails in section, the intermediate portion of the ties being broken.

Other objects and advantagesiwill be ap? Figure 2 is an elevation of one `of the skid placers, showing-the skid on the rail,v

the rail being in section.

Figure 3 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 1, just below the top plate of the casing a1'- ranged between the ties.

Figure l is a side elevation of one of the skid placers, showing the ends of the ties, and the positions of the electro-magnet and theair cylinder.

Figure 5 is a, top plan view of the skid placer of Figure el. i

Figure 6 is an elevation of the post carrying the circuit closing means for setting the skid placers in operation, and operable by the rider ot' a car as the car passes the post.

Figure 7 is a sectional view through the box on the upper end of the post, showing the signal lamp and circuit closer,fand releasing means.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 represents two adjacent ties of a railway, and 11 and12 the rails secured thereon Disposed between the ties, andy extending throughout the lengths thereof, is an inverted meta-l channel member or casing 13,the end portions of the upper wall of which carries the vertical bolts k14 for securing the plates 15, on the base flanges of the rails, and whereby the said casing is properly suspended between the ties.y

As the skid placers of the two rails are identical in construction, except that one is right and the other left, a description of one will suii'ice. i

Disposed vertically against the outer face ot the web of the rail 10, and secured thereto by means ot the two bolts 16, which are passed through the rail, is a metal plate 17, the upper end of which is formed with the longitudinal tubular portion 18, receiving the pivot rod or bolt 19. The said tubular portion is cut out adjacent the ends thereof to receivev the apertured lugs 2O of the skid carrier 21, the pivot bolt also passing through the said'lugs. This carrier is substantially L-shaped as shown, and supports the skid 22, and is arranged to lie in the position of Figures 1 and 2, when supporting a skid, or after having placed a skid on the rail,for to stand ina vertical position, as shown in Figure 2, when placing the skid on the rail. On the outer face of the carrier, and extending transversely thereof, is an oliset bar 23, on which is slidably disposed a block 24, and pivotally connected to this block is one'end or' a link 25 whichv extends downwardly through the upper' wall of the casing 13, where it is pivotally connected with the adjacent end of the plunger rod 26, to which reference will be made later herein. A hinged cover 27 normally lies over the carrier, when said carrier is in lowered position, and said cover has its lower or inner face formed with ia smooth exterior againstV which the outer edge of the carrier is adapted to bear, tor the purpose ot automatically throwing the cover into open position, when the carrier is moved toward skid-placing position.

Mounted in suitable brackets, carried by the casing 13, and disposed within said casing in longitudinal alinenient, are the air cylinders 28, one being arranged Yadjacent each end of the casing. lVithin each of the casings or cylinders 28 is disposed a piston which as shown at 29, is connected with the plunger rod 26, and which rod slides in the cylinder, and through depending brackets 30, carried by the upper wall of the casing 13. In the cylinder, in encircling relation to the plunger rod, and bearing against the piston, and the opposite end wall of the cylinder, is a coil spring l, which normally urges the piston toward one end of the cylinder. Connected to the other end of the cylinder is a pipe 32, which has its other end connected with one arni oi a "coupling 33, the pipe 32, from the other cylinder 28 being connected to the other arm of the coupling. To the leg 'oil the T-coupling 33 is connected a pipe 34 which leads out from the end of the casing 13, and to a suitable source of compressed air supply, not shown, but which will be located at any desired or convenient point. 1n the pipe 34 is disposed a two-way valve 35, which, in one'position permits air to pass through the T-coupling into the cylinders 28, and in its other position permits the air from the cylinders to exhaust to theI atniiisphcre the air being urged out by the pistons, under the influence of the springs in the cylinders.

Mounted on, and insulated from the outer end of one of the plunger rods 26 is an electrical contact blade 36, which is adapted to enter between the spring contact jaws 37, mounted on ar bracket carried by the casing 13. This blade is arranged to engage the jaws when the rod 26 has moved outwardly .to the full limit oi its stroke, as will b'e clear from the drawings. v

Mounted at 'the side of the railway, at a point a suitable distance from the location of `the skid placing devices, is apost 38, and mounted onthe upper end of the post is a horizontal arm 39, carrying a box 40 on its outer end. A second horizontal arm 41 is carried by the post,` at a suitable dis tance below the lirst arm, and extending toward the railway, as does the first arm. 1n the said box 40 is mounted an electric switch including a pivoted arm 42 and the stationary contact jaws 43, these elements being in circuit with the electric lamp 44, and the source of current 45, which may be the battery located in the box, or at any suitable point, outside of the box. Pivotally mounted adjacent the switch, and spring pressed into position to engage over the switch arm, when said arm is in lowered or circuit closing position, is a hook latch 46. Mounted adjacent the switch is an electromagnet 47, the armature 48 of which is connected with the said latch, for drawing the latch away from the arm, when 'the electro-magnet is energized. Y

Leading from the blade 36, and the rod 37, respectively, are the wires 49 and 50, said wires being connected with the electroinagnet 47, and the source of current 45, whereby when the blade engages the jaws a circuit will be closed, energizing the magnet 47, and causing the withdrawal of the latch 46 from then arm 42. A spring 51 iS connected with the arm 42 and the wall oi' the box 40, to normally urge the arm away from the jaws 43. Connected to the outer end of the lower arm 41, and to the outer end portion of the switch arm 42, is a vertically disposed chain, which is adapted to be struck by a stick or club, in the hands of the rider of the car, with the result that the chain will exert a sudden downward pull on the arm 42, causing the same to engagey the jaws 43, andrbecome latched in closed position by the latch 46.v

Mounted in the casing` 13, is a solenoid magnet 52, the core of which is pivotally connected with the arm 35, or' the valve 35, said solenoid being inthe circuit which includes the light 44. The ordinary manner ot' energizing the solenoid 52 trom the tower in the hump yard (not shown), the wires 53 leading Yfrom the magnet 52 for this purpose. This would cause the lamp to light in the box 40, tor the car rider to see, and thereby know that the skids had been properly placed. However', when the rider does not 'see the light, he knows that the skids have not been placed, and upon striking the chain 41 he will close the switch 42-43, lighting the lamp, and energizing the solenoid, with the result that the valve 35 will be opened to permit air to flow into the inner ends of the cylinders 28 with the result that the pistons will be driven to the other ends of the cylinders, and the carriers 21 swung on their pivots to place the skids on the rails, This requires the complete swinging movement of the carriers into vertical position at the outer sides of the rails, and when the carriers liavereached this position, the blade of the plunger rod will have engaged with the jaws 37 and caused the energization of the magnet 47, resulting in the withdrawal of the latch from the switch arm, and the opening ot' the circuit. Upon release of the switch arm from the latch, the spring 5l throws the arm 42 upwardly, and the springs 3l restore the pistons to the orginal positions at the inner ends of the cylinders. A spring 52 is connected with the valve arm 35 and the casing 13, to normally urge the valve into closed position. This spring immediately acts upon the valve, to closev the same, when the solenoid is deenergized.

lVliat is claimed is:

l. An automatic skid placer including carriers disposed for movement toward and away from the rails of a railway, means for moving the carriers into and out of skid placing position, and means actuated by the moving means for releasing' the moving means at the completion ot its skid placing movement to return to normal position and restore the carriers to inoperative position.

2. An automatic skid placer including carriers mounted adjacent the rails of a railway and movable toward and away therefrom, electro-pneumatic means for moving the carriers into and out of skid placing position, and mea-ns operable by an operative from a moving car for setting the moving means into operation.

3. An automatic skid placer including skid carriers mounted for movement toward and away from the rails of a railway, motor means for actuating the carriers into and out ot skid placing position, means for setting the motor means in opera-tion to place skids, and means for releasing the motor means at the completion of the skid placing operation to permit the same to return to normal position and restore the carriers to a position away from the rails,

4. An automatic skid placer including skid carriers mounted for movement toward and away from the rails of a railway, pneumatically operable means for moving the carriers into and out of skid placing position, means for restoring the carriers to normal position, and means operable by the pneumatically operable means at the completion of the skid placing movement for releasing the resto-ring means Jfor operation.

5. An automatic skid placer including skid carriers mounted for pivotal movement toward and away from the rails of a railway, pneumatic cylinders, spring pressed pistons in the cylinders, connections between the pistons and the carriers for actuation thereof, electro-magnetic means for controlling a. motor fluid to the cylinders, a circuit breaker, and an electric circuit including the circuit breaker and the electromagnetic means.

6. An automatic skid placer including skid carriers pivotally supported at the sides of the rails of a railway, pneumaticcylinders, spring pressed pistons in the cylinders, connections betweenl the pistons and the -carriers, a conduit for carrying compressed air to the cylinders, electro-magnetic means for controlling the admission of air from the conduit to the cylinders, means operable by a car rider for energizing the electro-magnetic means, and means operable by one of the pistons for breaking the circuit to deenergized the electro-magnetic means.

7. An automatic skid placer including a carrie-r pivotally supported on the rail of a railway and movable toward and away from the rail, a pneumatic cylinder, a spring pressed piston in the cylinder, a conduit for conducting compressed air to the cylinder for moving the piston, connections between the piston and the skid carrier, a valve in the conduit, an electro-magnet operatively connected with the valve for opening and closing the same, a switch including a movable arm, an electric circuit including the electro-magnet and the switch, means for normally holding the switch arm in open position, a flexible element connected with the switch arm and arranged to be struck by a car rider to move the arm into closed position, and a circuit breaker operable by the said piston for deenergizing the electro-magnet.

8. An automatic skid placer including skid carriers, pneumatic means for moving the carriers into skid placing position, spring means for restoring the carriers to normal position, electrically operable means for controlling air to the pneumatic means and therefrom, manually operable means for closing a circuit to the electrically operable means, and means operable by the pneumatic means for breaking the said circuit.

In testimony whereof, we aliiX our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES D. OLAND. GEORGE 'MAIN- Witnesses J. Gr. CLow,

R. E. SHEPHERD. 

